North Carolina blows out U.Va. for first win in Charlottesville since 1981

October 16, 2010|By Dave Johnson, djohnson@dailypress.com | 247-4649

CHARLOTTESVILLE — — Everything began so promising for Virginia, which going into October's third weekend was seeking its first ACC win. Phoebus' own LoVante Battle had crushed North Carolina return man Da'Norris Searcy at the 19-yard line on the opening kickoff. The crowd was juiced.

That is, until the very next play. T.J. Yates threw a simple crossing pattern to wideout Dwight Jones, and he took it 81 yards for a touchdown. Call it a sign of things to come: The Tar Heels broke their 14-game hex at Scott Stadium with a 44-10 demolition Saturday night.

It was Carolina's first win in Charlottesville since 1981, when Ronald Regan was president and Dick Bestwick was Virginia's coach. And it was the Cavalier's worst loss in this series since a 41-0 blanking in 1959.

"I'm very disappointed for our players and our fans," U.Va. coach Mike London said. "We got beat on the field in a manner I thought we wouldn't. Carolina brought it to us, and we've got to play better. There's no doubt about that.

"That's my team in there, and I've got to coach them up. It rests with me. I've got to get them ready to play so we can be the team we think we can be. That's a hurting locker room in there."

Of all the key stats, here's the one that stands out most. Each team had six scoring opportunities in the red zone. UNC turned those chances into 30 points. Virginia managed only a field goal and a touchdown.

Three U.Va. quarterbacks combined for five interceptions, three coming inside the 20-yard line. Starter Mark Verica also threw a pick-six.

"We moved the ball well for most of the game, both running and throwing," Verica said. "But obviously, the turnovers killed us. We didn't finish the drives."

With UNC leading 10-3 late in the first quarter, the Cavaliers had just crossed midfield when Verica was intercepted by end Tim Jackson. Seven plays later, Yates and Jones hooked up for their second touchdown to make it 17-3.

On their first drive of the second quarter, the Cavaliers had a first-and-10 from the Carolina 13-yard line. But on third down, Verica was intercepted by Zach Brown, whose 70-yard return set up the Tar Heels' offense at the U.Va. 25. Casey Barth's second field goal of the first half made it 20-3.

Verica's third pick, a dart right to UNC linebacker Kevin Reddick, was the most damaging. His 22-yard return for a touchdown pushed the lead to 37-10 and finally led London to give Verica the hook.

"Your fifth-year (senior) quarterback has got to do better," London said.

Missing cornerback Ras-I Dowling with a knee injury, U.Va. had no answer for Jones. His first touchdown, the 81-yarder, was a simple crossing route. In fact, he was only a yard past the line of scrimmage when he made the catch.

But as he hit the left sideline, Virginia's Chase Minnifield lunged and missed. Nobody else would come that close.

His second touchdown came on a third-and-9 from the 20-yard line. Yates' throw was a little short in the right corner of the end zone, so Jones went to the ground to haul it in.

Then Jones went deep, and Yates hit him in stride. Jones appeared to cross the goal line for a 55-yard touchdown before Corey Mosley dragged him down. But following a review, the officials ruled him down just inside the 1-yard line.

Yates found tight end Zack Pianalto wide open on the next play to make it 27-3.

Yates, who came in completing an ACC-best 65 percent of his passes, hit on 17-of-22 for 325 yards. In its first five games, Virginia hadn't given up a completion longer than 40 yards. Saturday night gave up four.

"They didn't do anything new," Minnifield said. "There was just a lot of miscommunication."